Toothbrush holder and a method for assuring the hygiene of a toothbrush holder and for adapting a toothbrush holder to provide assurance of its hygiene

ABSTRACT

A method is provided for assuring the hygiene of a toothbrush holder to its first user. The method comprises the steps of providing a toothbrush holder having a receptacle, said receptacle having an opening, and providing a hygiene assurance element. The hygiene assurance element is integrally-connected to the receptacle and covers, at least partially, the opening such that the hygiene assurance element interferes with the insertion of or placing a toothbrush into the opening until the hygiene assurance element is irreversibly ruptured or removed in order to allow the toothbrush to be received and held in the receptacle, thereby providing assurance of the hygiene of the toothbrush holder to its first user.

This application is a Continuation Application of Ser. No. 10/209,381and claims the priority dates of Provisional Patent Application filed onJul. 31, 2001 (Ser. No. 60,309,066) and Utility Patent Application (Ser.No. 10/209,381, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,786,342) which are hereinincorporated, by reference, in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of toothbrush holders and inparticular disposable or limited use toothbrush holders designed ordispensed for use for a limited duration, for example, in a hotel or ina hospital bathroom or similar limited duration applications.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A survey of the art reveals a variety of designs of toothbrush holders.Some of those designs feature the ornamental aspects of toothbrushholders. Examples of such ornamentally-designed toothbrush holders areshown in U.S. Patent Nos. Des. 65,892, Des. 148,431, Des. 176,162, Des.215,100, Des. 250,305, Des. 278,777, Des. 306,811 Des. 320,123 and Des.425,349 which are hereby incorporated, in this application, byreference. Other designs feature the utility and functional aspects oftoothbrush holders. Examples of such toothbrush holders are shown inU.S. Pat. Nos. 1,356,487, 1,487,085, 1,551,434, 2,642,999, 2,916,155,2,917,182, 3,002,630, 4,008,808, 4,488,327, 4,607,752, 4,979,708,5,259,519, and 5,996,816 which are also hereby incorporated, in thisapplication, by reference.

With the exception of U.S. Pat. No. 3,002,630 issued to Heisser, none ofthe above prior art references show or suggest any means for assuringthe hygiene of the toothbrush holder. Heisser teaches a suspension-typetwo-component toothbrush rack in which a plate 7, which is adhesivelysecured on a wall, is suitably-shaped to receive a disposableremovably-mounted holder 13 which has slots or openings 18 for receivingand holding the toothbrush. It also covers the openings or slots 18,through which the toothbrush is suspended, with a removable protectivestrip 20, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 in U.S. Pat. No. 3,002,630.Removable protective strip 20 is made of suitable material, preferablytissue paper, which is adhesively secured on holder 13 or, in the caseof waxed cardboard holder, is heat-pressed into the wax on one side ofthe holder, thereby covering openings or slots 18. A drawback ofHeisser's toothbrush rack is that securing protective strip 20 on holder13 requires an additional assembly step and, therefore, is more costlyto produce in comparison to the toothbrush holders of the presentinvention.

For the purpose of this application, the term “hygiene”, in addition toits accepted meaning of the science of health and the prevention ofdisease, is also used, herein, to mean no potential contamination whichmight be caused, generated or left by a previous user. Also, for thepurpose of this application, the terms “assuring or assurance of thehygiene of the toothbrush holder” refer to and mean positivelyindicating to the first user of the toothbrush holder that thetoothbrush holder has never been used, for its intended purpose, byanother previous user.

Examination of the above-referenced prior art also shows that none ofthe prior art references show or suggest a low cost toothbrush holderwhich can accept and hold in place virtually all sizes of toothbrushes,including toothbrushes with thick or thin handles, large or smallbristle heads and long and short handles.

The present invention addresses the above-mentioned deficiencies andprovides low cost solutions for same. In addition to teaching adisposable toothbrush holder having the ability to receive and hold atoothbrush of virtually any practical size, it also teaches a low costmeans and a method for positively assuring the hygiene of a toothbrushholder. Also, the method, disclosed herein, is adaptable to virtuallyall toothbrush holders of the prior art as will be described in thesection of Detailed Description of the Invention

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of a suspension-type two-componentdisposable toothbrush holder assembly,

FIG. 2 shows an isometric view of a suspension-type disposabletoothbrush holder adapted in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of an open-receptacle counter-top typedisposable toothbrush holder,

FIG. 4 shows an isometric view of a closed receptacle counter-top typedisposable toothbrush holder, and

FIG. 5 shows an isometric view of another open-receptacle counter-topembodiment of disposable toothbrush holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a suspension-type two-component disposable toothbrushholder assembly 1. It comprises two structurally-separate components,namely; a bracket 5 and a disposable holder 2. As shown in FIG. 1,bracket 5 is suitably shaped to be directly attached to vertical wall 10and to provide space for receiving and securing in place disposableholder 2. This is accomplished by incorporating two integrally-connectedsegments 5-a and 5-b in bracket 5. First segment 5-a provides a contactsurface for mounting bracket 5 on vertical wall 10 whereas secondsegment 5-b, being spaced away from segment 5-a, as shown in FIG. 1,provides space between itself and vertical wall 10 for receivingvertical wall segment 6 of disposable holder 2. Thus, disposable holder2 is secured in place by sliding its vertical wall segment 6 behindsecond segment 5-b, of bracket 5, as shown in FIG. 1. After use,disposable holder 2 is removed by sliding vertical wall segment 6horizontally and away from bracket 5 and a new disposable holder 2 issimilarly placed and secured in position.

Bracket 5 may be attached to vertical wall 10, permanently ortemporarily, by permanent adhesive or permanent adhesive double-sidedadhesive tape, removable or temporary pressure-sensitive adhesive ordouble-sided adhesive tape, mechanical fasteners such as screws throughholes 20, magnetically or by other means known in the art such assuction cups.

Also, as shown in FIG. 1, a unitary-structure rigid disposable holder 2comprises at least two rigidly and integrally-connected segments;vertical wall segment 6 which extends upwardly and isintegrally-connected to horizontal platform segment 7. Optionally,disposable holder 2 may also comprise a splash guard 21. Vertical wallsegment 6 and platform 7 are also rigidly-connected to one another anddo not rotate, move or collapse relative to one another.

For the purpose of this invention, the terms “integrally-connectedcomponents or segments”, “integral bond”, “integral connection” and“integrally-bonded or joined components or segments” shall mean that theconnected, joined or bonded components or segments have a cohesive orsame-material continuity between them provided also that such a cohesiveor same-material continuity may be severed, broken, discontinued ordestroyed only irreversibly, i.e., destructively, thereby providing anindication that the integral connection, bond or assembly has beenirreversibly damaged. The term cohesive continuity refers to a masscontinuity generated at the interface of two, initially-separate,components or segments as a result of a welding action whether such awelding action is between two metallic or two polymeric components orsegments. Accordingly, examples of integrally-bonded joined or connectedcomponents or segments are parts of a unitary structure formed byinjection molding, thermoforming, compression molding, casting,rotational molding, hot forming or forging, cold forming or forging,blow molding or extrusion. Additional examples include heat,ultrasonically, friction, induction-heat and vibration welded segmentsor components. Also, accordingly, examples of non-integrally-bonded,joined or connected components or segments are parts of a structure thatare readily removable or pushed out, heat-pressed in wax,adhesively-bonded or fastened together by mechanical fasteners such asbolts and nuts, screws or rivets.

Advantages of integrally-connecting, joining or bonding the componentsor segments of the toothbrush holder of the present invention, and inparticular its hygiene assurance member, include the positiveness ofhygiene assurance since the components are more securely held togetherand only irreversibly severable, rather than being merely replaceable,left in place or readily removable or pushed through. Additionaladvantages include lower manufacturing cost since no adhesives oradhesive tapes are used for covering the opening which receives andholds the toothbrush.

Bracket 5 and disposable holders 2 and 11 may be made from a variety ofmaterials and preferably plastics materials for lower cost and ease ofmanufacturing. They may also be manufactured by a variety of methods,mentioned earlier, and preferably by injection molding or thermoforming.

Disposable holder 2 has at least one receptacle 3 which receives andholds, in a suspended position, toothbrush 9 through its opening 8, asshown in FIG. 1. As shown therein, toothbrush handle 9-a is passedthrough opening 8, which is smaller than toothbrush head 9-b andtoothbrush bristles 9-c, thus holding toothbrush 9 in a suspendedposition.

FIG. 2 shows a disposable toothbrush holder 11 of the suspension-type,which is similar to holder 2 described earlier but, adapted inaccordance with the present invention, for positive assurance of itshygiene. As shown therein, a unitary structure rigid disposable holder11 comprises rigidly and integrally-connected vertical wall segment 12and horizontal platform segment 13. Platform 13 includes receptacles 14and 15 as adapted in accordance with the present invention. Receptacles14 and 15 may receive and hold a toothbrush, in a suspended position,only after integrally-connected hygiene assurance element or membrane 16is irreversibly removed or punctured by the first user. Hygieneassurance element or membrane 16 covers, at least partially, opening 18in receptacle 14 prior to being irreversibly removed or punctured by thefirst user. Receptacle 15, however, depicts its corresponding opening18-A after its corresponding hygiene assurance element was irreversiblyremoved by its first user.

Hygiene assurance element or membrane 16 is integrally-connected to atleast a portion of the perimeter of opening 18 at integral connectionzone 17, thereby integrally connecting hygiene assurance element 16 toplatform 13. Zone 17 provides a cohesive or same-material continuitybetween element 16 and platform 13. Zone 17 also provides anirreversible failure line 19 which provides a positive indication andassurance of the hygiene of the toothbrush holder to its first user.

When element 16 is deformed by a first user upwards, downwards orgenerally in a manner that generates a strain in zone 17, which exceedsthe maximum strain that zone 17 can sustain, an irreversible failuretakes place in zone 17, preferably along irreversible failure line 19,thus destroying irreversibly the integral continuity or bond betweenelement 16 and platform 13 and thus positively assuring the first userof the hygiene of the holder.

Element 16 may also be designed to be irreversibly torn away fromplatform 13 by tearing integral connection zone 17 along line 19. Line19 may also be rendered a weakened tear line or, more generally, afrangible or weakened-strength line by having indentation(s),perforation(s), hole(s) or generally reduced cross-sectional area suchthat any attempt to break element 16, away from platform 13, results inan irreversible failure taking place along line 19.

In the above described embodiment, element 16 may also be referred to asa breakaway tab.

Alternatively, element 16 may be designed in the form of a thinirreversibly pierceable or tearable membrane, which may beintegrally-bonded to perimeter of opening 18 or surface of platform 13.

Element 16 covers at least a portion of opening 18 and thus prevents orinterferes with placing toothbrush handle 9-a through it. Upon beingirreversibly ruptured, punctured, broken, torn, damaged or removed bythe first user, it provides an indication and a positive assurance ofthe hygiene of the toothbrush holder to its first user and allows atoothbrush to be received and held, in a suspended-position, in opening18.

The terms “irreversibility” and “irreversibly”, in the context of thisinvention, mean the inability to restore the state of the hygieneassurance element and/or the failure zone to their state(s) prior tobeing ruptured, punctured, broken, torn, damaged or removed.

The embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 also describe and teach a methodfor positively assuring the hygiene of a suspension-type toothbrushholder and for adapting any toothbrush holder of the prior art toprovide positive assurance of its hygiene to its first user. The methodcomprises the steps of 1) providing a toothbrush holder having aplatform, said platform having at least one receptacle, said receptaclehaving an opening, said opening being smaller than a toothbrush head,and 2) providing a positive hygiene assurance element, said hygieneassurance element being integrally-connected to said platform andcovering, at least partially, said opening such that said hygieneassurance element prevents or interferes with the insertion of orplacing a toothbrush into said opening until said hygiene assuranceelement is irreversibly ruptured, punctured, broken torn, damaged orremoved in order to allow said toothbrush to be received and held insaid receptacle, thereby providing a positive assurance of the hygieneof said toothbrush holder to its first user.

FIG. 3 shows a counter-top type single-component toothbrush holder 25 inaccordance with the present invention. An advantage of the counter-topembodiment is that it can be placed directly on the top surface of acounter or a dresser in a bathroom, as a free-standing unit, and thusdoes not require a mounting bracket or fastening onto a wall as thesuspension-type embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Another advantage of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is that it canreceive and hold, in a stable equilibrium position, virtually anypractical size toothbrush.

As shown in FIG. 3, a unitary-structure rigid toothbrush holder 25comprises a base 26 which is adapted to be placed on a flat or asubstantially horizontal surface. Base 26 is rigidly andintegrally-connected to an elevator member 27, which extends upwardly orsubstantially vertically from base-to-elevator section 28 and carriescavity or receptacle member 29. Member 29 comprises at least one of opentype receptacles 30-A and 30-B, open-type openings 31-A and 31-B andhygiene assurance elements 32-A and 32-B (not shown). Hygiene assuranceelement 32-A is integrally-connected to receptacle member 29 throughintegral connection zone 33, in a manner similar to that performed byintegral connection zone 17 discussed earlier in connection withplatform 13 and hygiene assurance element 16, shown earlier in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, receptacle 30-A depicts the construction of thetoothbrush holder before the irreversible removal of hygiene assuranceelement 32-A. Receptacle 30-B, however, shows opening 31-B with itshygiene assurance element 32-B (not shown) removed and toothbrush 9placed, in a stable equilibrium inclined orientation, with its baseresting against stop 34 and its handle inclined at an angle θ <90°.

Since the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 has open type receptacles 30-A and30-B and open type openings 31-A and 31-B, virtually any practical sizetoothbrush can be received and held in openings 31-A or 31-B.

Disposable holder 25 may be made from a variety of materials andpreferably plastics materials for lower cost and ease of manufacturing.It may also be manufactured by a variety of methods, mentioned earlier,and preferably by injection molding or thermoforming.

As shown in FIG. 3, receptacles 30-A or 30-B may receive and hold atoothbrush only after their corresponding integrally-connected hygieneassurance element 32-A or 32-B are irreversibly removed by the firstuser of the toothbrush holder, thus providing a positive assurance ofthe hygiene of the toothbrush holder to its first user. Hygieneassurance element or membrane 32-A covers, at least partially, opening31-A in receptacle 30-A prior to being irreversibly ruptured, punctured,broken, torn, damaged or removed by the first user. Receptacle 30-B,however, depicts its corresponding opening 31-B after its correspondinghygiene assurance element was irreversibly removed by the first user ofthe toothbrush holder.

Hygiene assurance element or membrane 32-A is integrally-connected to atleast a portion of the perimeter of opening 31-A at integral connectionzone 33-A, thereby integrally connecting hygiene assurance element 32-Ato cavity or receptacle member 29. Zones 33-A and 33-B provide acohesive or same-material continuity between elements 32-A and 32-B andreceptacle member 29. Zones 33-A and 33-B also provide irreversiblefailure lines 35-A and 35-B which provide a positive indication andassurance of the hygiene of the toothbrush holder to its first user.

When element 32-A is deformed by a first user upwards, downwards orgenerally in a manner that generates a strain in zone 33-A, whichexceeds the maximum strain that zone 33-A can sustain, an irreversiblefailure takes place in zone 33-A, preferably along irreversible failureline 35-A, thus destroying irreversibly the integral continuity or bondbetween element 32-A and member 29 and thus positively assuring thefirst user of the hygiene of the holder.

Element 32-A may also be designed to be irreversibly torn away frommember 29 by tearing integral connection zone 33-A along line 35-A. Line35-A may also be rendered a weakened tear line or, more generally, afrangible or weakened-strength line by having indentation(s),perforation(s), hole(s) or generally reduced cross-sectional area suchthat any attempt to break element 32-A, away from member 29, results inan irreversible failure taking place along line 35-A.

In the above described embodiment, elements 32-A and 32-B may also bereferred to as breakaway tabs.

Alternatively, element 32-A may be designed in the form of a thinirreversibly pierceable or tearable membrane, which may beintegrally-bonded to perimeter of opening 31-A or surface of member 29.

Element 32-A covers at least a portion of opening 31-A and thus preventsor interferes with placing a toothbrush in toothbrush holder 25. Uponbeing irreversibly ruptured, punctured, broken, torn, damaged or removedby the first user, it provides an indication and a positive assurance ofthe hygiene of the toothbrush holder to its first user and allows atoothbrush to be received and held in disposable toothbrush holder 25.

In accordance with the present invention, holder 25 may also be designedsuch that angle be equal to zero, i.e., toothbrush 9 would be held in ahorizontal position. In such an embodiment, stop 34 would not benecessary and receptacles 30-A and 30-B would be modified to providesupport zones, within which the center of gravity of the toothbrush iscontained.

The embodiments shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 also describe and teach amethod for positively assuring the hygiene of a counter-top typetoothbrush holder and for adapting any toothbrush holder of the priorart to provide positive assurance of its hygiene to its first user. Themethod comprises the steps of 1) providing a toothbrush holder having acavity or receptacle member, said member having at least one receptacle,said receptacle having an opening, and 2) providing a positive hygieneassurance element, said hygiene assurance element beingintegrally-connected to said member and covering, at least partially,said opening such that said hygiene assurance element prevents orinterferes with receiving and holding a toothbrush into said openinguntil said hygiene assurance element is irreversibly ruptured,punctured, broken, torn, damaged or removed in order to allow saidtoothbrush to be received and held in said receptacle, thereby providinga positive assurance of the hygiene of said toothbrush holder to itsfirst user.

FIG. 4 shows a counter-top type toothbrush holder 40, which is similarto toothbrush holder 25 shown in FIG. 3, except for having closed-typereceptacles 45-A and 45-B and closed-type openings 46-A and 46-B.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of a counter-top type single-componenttoothbrush holder 60, in accordance with the present invention, whichmay be placed directly on a horizontal surface. As shown therein,toothbrush holder 60 is a unitary-structure which comprises a basemember 61 which, in use, is of a substantially horizontal orientation.At one end, base member 61 joins base-to-elevator section 63 which, inturn, joins elevator section 62. Base member 61 has spacers 70 on itsunderside in order to prevent direct contact between base member 61 andthe surface on which toothbrush holder 60 is placed. Base member 61 alsohas drainage holes 72. Elevator section 62 has cavity or receptaclemember 64 which comprises open-perimeter type receptacles 65-A and 65-Bwhich have openings 66-A and 66-B. As shown in FIG. 5, opening 66-A ispartially covered with hygiene assurance member 67-A which provides atemporary and irreversibly-removable interference with a first user'sability to place a toothbrush in opening 66-A of receptacle 65-A.Hygiene assurance member 67-A is integrally-connected or bonded tocavity or receptacle member 64 at integral connection zone 68-A.Integral connection zone 68-A provides a cohesive or same-materialcontinuity between receptacle member 64 and hygiene assurance member67-A. It also provides an irreversible failure line 80 which provides apositive indication and assurance of the hygiene of the toothbrushholder to its first user. It is worth noting here that receptacle member64, receptacles 65-A and 65-B, openings 66-A and 66-B, hygiene assurancemembers 67-A and 67-B, integral connection zones 68-A and 68-B andfailure lines 80 are similar in nature, function, mode of operation,location, dimensions, material choices, manufacturing method choices andall other relevant respects to their respective equivalent componentsshown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4.

As shown in FIG. 5, receptacle 65-B is shown with its hygiene assurancemember 67-B (not shown), which is similar to hygiene assurance member67-A, irreversibly removed or broken, thus permitting toothbrush 9 to beplaced in opening 66-B of receptacle 65-B with one of its ends 9-aresting against stop 69-B and the other end 9-b surrounded by receptacle65-B. An advantage of this embodiment is that it can be used to receiveand hold a toothbrush of virtually any practical size. It is also worthnoting that receptacles 65-A and 65-B are of a nearlyvertically-oriented three-dimensional U shape while hygiene assurancemembers 67-A and 67-B are of a nearly horizontal-orientationtwo-dimensional configuration and cover openings 66-A and 66-B only in apartial manner, yet provide a sufficient interference that prevents atoothbrush from being received in openings 66-A or 66-B. In accordancewith the present invention, the shape, size and location of hygieneassurance member can be varied, including being of a three-dimensionalconfiguration, to provide a greater or lesser amount of coverage ofopening 66-A as long as the hygiene assurance member provides sufficientinterference that prevents a toothbrush from being received and held inthe toothbrush holder. Also, cavity or receptacle member 64 may beconfigured so that integral connection zones 68-A and 68-B may belocated at a higher or a lower point, or any other location than asshown in FIG. 5. For example, hygiene assurance member 67-A may beintegrally connected to section 72, 73 and/or 74. When hygiene assurancemember 67-A is pushed up or down or generally deformed by the first userso that the strain generated in zone 68-A exceeds its breaking strain,an irreversible failure occurs in zone 68-A and member 67-A is removedor irreversibly deflected upwards or downwards by the first user thusmaking it possible to allow toothbrush 9 to be received in a receptacle,for example in receptacle 65-B as shown in FIG. 5.

Alternatively, hygiene assurance members 16, 32A and 32-B, and 67-A and67-B may be made in the form of a thin membrane integrally connected tothe perimeters of their respective receptacles. Such thin membraneswould be irreversibly ruptured, punctured, broken, torn, damaged orremoved by a first user, thus assuring the hygiene of the toothbrushholder to its first user.

As shown in FIG. 5, angle

is substantially smaller than 90°. It should also be understood thatangle

can be equal to zero by raising the level of rests 69-A and 69-B and/orby lowering the level of lower end 74 of receptacles 65-A and 65-B.

Alternatively, the toothbrush holders described in this invention may bewrapped individually in sealed bags in order to assure the user of theirhygiene. In this case, the toothbrush holder does not have to, but mayoptionally, include a hygiene assurance member.

The toothbrush holders disclosed in this application may be made of avariety of materials including plastics materials, metals,water-resistant fibrous materials. They may also be made by injectionmolding, thermoforming, compression molding, hot or cold stamping,rotational molding, blow molding, forging, casting or other productionmethods known in the art.

While what have been described in this application are certain specificembodiments of the present invention, it is possible to conceive of ordesign many other alternative embodiments, whether of ornamental orfunctional nature, of the present invention without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

1. A method for assuring the hygiene of a toothbrush holder to its firstuser, comprising the steps of: i) providing a toothbrush holder having areceptacle, said receptacle having an opening, and ii) providing ahygiene assurance element, said hygiene assurance element beingintegrally-connected to said receptacle and covering, at leastpartially, said opening such that said hygiene assurance elementinterferes with the insertion of or placing a toothbrush into saidopening until said hygiene assurance element is irreversibly ruptured orremoved in order to allow said toothbrush to be received and held insaid opening, thereby providing assurance of the hygiene of saidtoothbrush holder to its first user.
 2. The method of claim 1 whereinsaid toothbrush holder being a suspension-type toothbrush holder.
 3. Themethod of claim 1 wherein said toothbrush holder being a counter-toptype toothbrush holder.